thedrifter
06-21-03, 06:43 AM
Article ran : 06/20/2003
Wearing hearts on their signs
By ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF
For one Marine father, the "Welcome home daddy" banner will be extra special this time. It's the first he'll receive from his son, Arthur.
The banner, like dozens of others, hangs on N.C. 24 and says, "Nice to finally meet you" and pictures a baby with a flag-covered diaper staring up at a larger-than life cammie-covered leg.
It's just one of the signs that more than 5,000 Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade are returning next week from the war with Iraq. A fresh crop of yellow ribbons have popped up on trees along roadsides and a new wave of banners are rippling in the wind on fences along N.C. 24 heading into Jacksonville and aboard Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station.
The people behind the colorful sheets, decorated with handprints or expressions of love, say they're an extremely important part of homecoming festivities for military families.
Kindall Smith created a somewhat "traditional" banner for her husband, Sgt. Jason Smith, who is with Weapons Company 1st Battalion 2nd Division. She plans to hang it on the fence in front of Swansboro Elementary School.
It says, "Welcome home Daddy, Love Mama and all the babies."
In the Smith's case, the babies are a dog named Gracie Lou and five cats, Kramer, Iddy, Happy, BB and Boogie.
But for Kindall Smith, who hasn't seen Jason since Jan. 11, the banner she plans to hold on Sunday when her husband arrives will be the most meaningful to him. The banner was sent to her from country music singer Mark Wills, who has been keeping tabs on Jason and 1st Battalion 2nd Marine Division since the war started in Iraq.
"A very good friend of mine is married to Hap Hall, a member of his band, and through the course of the war, I informed my friend, Kim, of what was going on with Jason," Kindall Smith said. "When I was preparing for Jason's homecoming, they got together and decided they wanted to do a banner for Jason."
Messages such as "Glad you are home safe," "Job well done" and "Thanks for fighting for my freedom" are included on the banner with autographs from Wills and the rest of the band. Kindall Smith was also sent photos of Wills holding up the banner, which she plans to give to her husband, who is a big fan.
"(Jason) is going to be ecstatic," Kindall Smith said. "I spoke to him several weeks ago when he came out of Iraq and was back into Kuwait, and I told him that Mark and the band were asking questions about him. He couldn't believe it."
Wills also signed a banner for 1st Battalion 2nd Division and that one will be hung in the battalion office. That banner will be donated to the Marine Corps Museum along with the photo of Wills holding it, Kindall Smith said.
Barbara Kjer, whose husband, Master Sgt. Arlen Kjer, returns Monday, organized a banner-making event held June 14 for families with New River Marines in Helicopter Marine Medium 162.
She said each banner is reflective of the artist and the person it is dedicated to.
"It represents the personality of the spouse or maybe a favorite thing a child remembers during time spent with their dad," she said.
Her 12-year-old daughter, Naomi, sketched an idea for her banner before she actually went to work on the flag she painted on the sign.
"I painted it because he fought for the country and a flag stands for the country," Naomi said. "I was doodling in my notebook and decided to do that."
Naomi knows her father will notice her banner because she plans to stand right by it.
For Vicki Thacker, whose husband, Lt. Col. Darrell Thacker, is the commanding officer of HMM 162, the banner-making party always gets her ready for the homecoming.
"We start getting excited when we are making banners," she said. "The banner-making parties are one of the last things we do before the homecoming."
She said the words on the banners - whether they are stenciled with an expert's hand or a child's scrawl - say exactly what Marines and sailors serving in Iraq have been waiting to hear.
"It means everything to these guys," she said. "Welcome home daddy. We missed you. You are our heroes. Those things mean a lot."
Deb Jones' husband, Sgt. Mark Jones with HMM 162, is also returning Monday. She received her last e-mail from him Friday telling her that the equipment was being taken down because they were almost home.
Her banner to her husband is simple: "Welcome home Sgt. Mark."
"My husband's an informal guy, so I decided not to use his last name," she said. "I figured he would know who it was from, and if he doesn't, I signed all our names at the bottom."
She said that taking the time to make and hang a banner is extremely important for service members returning from war.
"Saying 'I love you' is one thing, but seeing something that someone has put their heart and time into can really bring home how much we've missed him and how proud we are that he has made this sacrifice for all of us."
Contact Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 238.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Wearing hearts on their signs
By ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF
For one Marine father, the "Welcome home daddy" banner will be extra special this time. It's the first he'll receive from his son, Arthur.
The banner, like dozens of others, hangs on N.C. 24 and says, "Nice to finally meet you" and pictures a baby with a flag-covered diaper staring up at a larger-than life cammie-covered leg.
It's just one of the signs that more than 5,000 Marines and sailors with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade are returning next week from the war with Iraq. A fresh crop of yellow ribbons have popped up on trees along roadsides and a new wave of banners are rippling in the wind on fences along N.C. 24 heading into Jacksonville and aboard Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station.
The people behind the colorful sheets, decorated with handprints or expressions of love, say they're an extremely important part of homecoming festivities for military families.
Kindall Smith created a somewhat "traditional" banner for her husband, Sgt. Jason Smith, who is with Weapons Company 1st Battalion 2nd Division. She plans to hang it on the fence in front of Swansboro Elementary School.
It says, "Welcome home Daddy, Love Mama and all the babies."
In the Smith's case, the babies are a dog named Gracie Lou and five cats, Kramer, Iddy, Happy, BB and Boogie.
But for Kindall Smith, who hasn't seen Jason since Jan. 11, the banner she plans to hold on Sunday when her husband arrives will be the most meaningful to him. The banner was sent to her from country music singer Mark Wills, who has been keeping tabs on Jason and 1st Battalion 2nd Marine Division since the war started in Iraq.
"A very good friend of mine is married to Hap Hall, a member of his band, and through the course of the war, I informed my friend, Kim, of what was going on with Jason," Kindall Smith said. "When I was preparing for Jason's homecoming, they got together and decided they wanted to do a banner for Jason."
Messages such as "Glad you are home safe," "Job well done" and "Thanks for fighting for my freedom" are included on the banner with autographs from Wills and the rest of the band. Kindall Smith was also sent photos of Wills holding up the banner, which she plans to give to her husband, who is a big fan.
"(Jason) is going to be ecstatic," Kindall Smith said. "I spoke to him several weeks ago when he came out of Iraq and was back into Kuwait, and I told him that Mark and the band were asking questions about him. He couldn't believe it."
Wills also signed a banner for 1st Battalion 2nd Division and that one will be hung in the battalion office. That banner will be donated to the Marine Corps Museum along with the photo of Wills holding it, Kindall Smith said.
Barbara Kjer, whose husband, Master Sgt. Arlen Kjer, returns Monday, organized a banner-making event held June 14 for families with New River Marines in Helicopter Marine Medium 162.
She said each banner is reflective of the artist and the person it is dedicated to.
"It represents the personality of the spouse or maybe a favorite thing a child remembers during time spent with their dad," she said.
Her 12-year-old daughter, Naomi, sketched an idea for her banner before she actually went to work on the flag she painted on the sign.
"I painted it because he fought for the country and a flag stands for the country," Naomi said. "I was doodling in my notebook and decided to do that."
Naomi knows her father will notice her banner because she plans to stand right by it.
For Vicki Thacker, whose husband, Lt. Col. Darrell Thacker, is the commanding officer of HMM 162, the banner-making party always gets her ready for the homecoming.
"We start getting excited when we are making banners," she said. "The banner-making parties are one of the last things we do before the homecoming."
She said the words on the banners - whether they are stenciled with an expert's hand or a child's scrawl - say exactly what Marines and sailors serving in Iraq have been waiting to hear.
"It means everything to these guys," she said. "Welcome home daddy. We missed you. You are our heroes. Those things mean a lot."
Deb Jones' husband, Sgt. Mark Jones with HMM 162, is also returning Monday. She received her last e-mail from him Friday telling her that the equipment was being taken down because they were almost home.
Her banner to her husband is simple: "Welcome home Sgt. Mark."
"My husband's an informal guy, so I decided not to use his last name," she said. "I figured he would know who it was from, and if he doesn't, I signed all our names at the bottom."
She said that taking the time to make and hang a banner is extremely important for service members returning from war.
"Saying 'I love you' is one thing, but seeing something that someone has put their heart and time into can really bring home how much we've missed him and how proud we are that he has made this sacrifice for all of us."
Contact Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@jdnews.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 238.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: